Loose-leaf binder



June 18, 1929. H. MILLS 1,718,171

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 11, 1928 pointer.

Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed August 11, 1928. Serial No. 299,017.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and has for an important object thereof the provision of a loose leaf binder which is readily adjustable from a normalor minimum capacity to a maximum capacity more than double the minimum capacity.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is soconstructed that it may be readily shifted from a position where the contained sheets are clamped and held against movement with relation to one another to an open position where the sheets are readily accessible and manipulatable.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved locking means for an adjustable pointerof this character which is of such character that its operating parts may be arranged within the confines of the covers of the A still further object of the invention is to provide a loose leaf pointer employing telescopic posts for engagement with the sheets of such character that the sheets may be made to closely fit the posts and will not be disturbed or shiftable out of alinement when the posts shall have been extended.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf ledger constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is asection on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the spring catch;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 isa plan view of the operating element for the plunger.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 10 and 11 generally designate backers or covers adapted to receive therebctween the notched sheets 12 forming the ledger proper. In accordance with my invention, these backers are connected by two pairs of telescopic posts, the posts of one pair being generally designated at 13, while those of the other pair are generally designated at 14. The female elements of each pair have the same exterior diameter and the female elements 15 of the 'The male elements of the posts 13 and 14,

designated at 18 and 19 respectively, are threaded in the covers 11 and 10 respectively. Each female element 15 is formed with an interior groove adjacent its free end, producing a shoulder 20 which faces the attached end thereof and the free'endof each associated male element 18 has attached thereto a latching spring 21 which, after a predetermined movement, springs outwardly into the groove and engages the shoulder to positively limit separation of the male and female elements while they are still engaged with one another.

Because of the elongation of the female elements 15 and the location of this catch when the maximum extension is obtained, the free endsof the female portions in such fully extended position will overlap one another, so that each sheet will still have two of the grooves thereofengaged witha member of the telescopic joint against the walls of which it fits and there can, therefore, be no angular displacement of the sheets. Approximately one half of the sheets will be held by the female elements 15 and the other half thereof by the female elements 14, a small'central portion of the total number of sheets being engaged by the female elements of both sets of posts.

The male elements 19 of the posts 14 have each formed therethrough a bore 22, the upper end portion of which has its wall threaded, as at 23, and the lower end portion of which converges, as at 24. This lower or free end portion of each of the male elements 19 is slotted to form resilient tongues, as more clearly shown at 25 in Figure 4. Mounted in the bore is a plunger rod 26, the lower end of which is slightly rounded, as at 27, and the upper end of which is provided with means as a notched disk 28 whereby it may be rotated. Immediately below this means, the shank of the plunger is threaded, as at 29, for engagement with the threaded portion of the wall of the bore to thereby permit the plunger to be vertically shifted so that by its coactlon with the tapered portion of the bore, it may spread the resilient fingers produced by the grooves and cause them to come into binding engagement with the walls of the associated female element 16. The notched disk 28 may obviously be replaced by any suitable means for rotating the structure. Any such rotating means, however, is constructed to seat within a recess 30 formed in the upper wall of the cover element 10, so that a flat structure is provided when the ledger is closed and locked.

A convenient means for producing the spring 24 is illustrated in Figure 3. A split sleeve 81 has its lower end notched, as at 32, to produce parallel fingers, of which alternate fingers are bent outwardly, as at 33, to form the spring catch, while the remaining fingers 34L lie closely against the wall of a recess 35 formed in the male element 18 to maintain the proper position of the sleeve thereon. The recess 35 can be in the form of a shallow groove of the same length as the depth of the sleeve.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of theinvention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I elaim:

1. In a loose leaf ledger, a pair of backers, two groups of telescopic posts connecting the backers, each post comprising a male element secured to one of the hackers and a female element secured to the other thereof, the respective elements being in reverse arrangement in the two groups, the female elements of certain of said posts beingprovided at their free ends with an interior shoulder facing the attached end thereof, the ooaeting male elements of said posts having spring elements adapted to engage said shoulders to limit separation of the sections thereof.

2. In a loose leaf ledger, a pair of backers, two groups of telescopic posts connecting the backers, each post comprising a male element secured to one of the hackers and a female clement secured to the other thereof, the respective elements being in reverse arrangement in the two groups, and means limiting separationof the backers while the free ends of the female elements of different groups are still in overlapping relation, the female elements of the posts of one of said groups being of greater length than the female elements of the posts of the other group, the cover to which the male elements of said groups attached being recessed about said male elements for the reception of the free ends of the femaleelef ments to thereby permitjthe free ends of the female elements of the other group to come into contact with the hacker to which the male elements of said group are attached.

3. In a loose leaf ledger, a pair of back ers, two groups of telescopic posts connecting the backers, each post comprising a male element secured to one of the backers and a female element secured to the other thereof, the respective elements being in reverse arrangement in the two groups, the female elements of certain of said posts being provided at their free ends with an interior groove producing a shoulder facing the attached ends thereof, the coacting male elements of said posts being provided adjacent their free ends with a shallow annular groove, a split resilient band disposed within said groove and being slotted from one of its edges whereby a number of fingers are produced, certain of said fingers being offset outwardly and adapted to expand into the groove of the associated female element and engage against the shoulder thereof to limit the separation of the sections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HARRY MILLS. 

